THE STORY 295 



got the car mended in less than a quarter of an hour, 

 and back I went to London full speed. But the 

 repairs and the horse hire and the bed had taken 

 all my money, and I had only sixpence in my 

 pocket ; and I hadn't eaten for I don't know how 

 long. I stopped at a village on the way and had 

 a drink of water at a pump. ' Never mind,' I 

 said to myself. ' When I get to the Albany I can 

 borrow something from Robert ' — ^he's my servant, 

 you know. But when I got to the Albany Robert 

 wasn't there and my rooms were locked up. You 

 see, he thought I wasn't coming back for some 

 time, and I always send him a wire the day before 

 I come. It was just nine o'clock and I was as 

 hungry as anything, but I was in such a tearing 

 rage that I never thought of borrowing money 

 from anyone, as I might have done. Sixpence 

 is no use for food in the West End, so I sent you 

 a wire with it, got some more petrol at Simpson's 

 and came down here full speed." 



French got up and took Mr Dashwood's hand 

 and shook it. 



" If I Hve to be five hundred," said the emotional 

 French, "I'll never forget this to you." 



"Rubbish!" said Bobby. "It was nothing. 

 I — I enjoyed it — at least, part of it. Anyhow, 

 I'd do it over again to-morrow for the excitement 

 of the thing." 



" / think," said Miss Grimshaw, speaking as 

 though she were criticising some work of art, 

 " that the finest part of the whole thing was your 



